Blow lance assembly for metallurgical furnaces

ABSTRACT

A blow lance assembly for metallurgical furnaces, particularly for steel mill converters, includes two interengageable brackets, one of which contains mounting means for removably receiving a blow lance tube and the other of which contains mounting means for a plurality of additional auxiliary tubes which are adapted to be connected thereto such as an oxygen supply tube, a cooling water feed tube and a cooling water return tube. The brackets are constructed such that they may be shifted laterally in respect to each other under the control of a fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder combination. The auxiliary tubes and the main blow lance tube include portions extending in a substantially common plane, which have flanges which are adapted to interengage with flange portions of the connecting lines for these fittings. The connecting lines are mounted on one of the movable bracket portions and may be shifted laterally to cause engagement of the couplings under a fluid pressure tight sealing. The auxiliary lines also include clamping elements which are operated by fluid piston and cylinder elements to tightly clamp the couplings together in their sealed arrangement and to provide for an instantaneous connection of the auxiliary tubes to the main blow lance tube or to permit the immediate connection thereof. The blow lance tube is mounted on supporting elements on its bracket in a manner such that it may be easily removed therefrom.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Heinrich Skrzipczyk FOREIGN PATENTS Duisburg; 670,792 7/1962 Bel ium 266 34 Guenther Szalek, Duisburg-Hamborn, g Germany Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost [21] APPL No. 792,700 Attorney-McGlew and Toren [22] Filed Jan. 21, 1969 [45] Patented Jan. 19,1971 [73] Assignee Demag Akfiengeseuschaft ABSTRACT. A blow lance assembly for metallurgical fur- Duisburg Germany naces, particularlyfor steel mill converters, includes two in- Priority Mar 29 1 terengageable brackets, one of which contains mounting 5 h means for removably receiving a blow lance tube and the [31] 1 758 074 other of which contains mounting means for a plurality of additional auxiliary tubes which are adapted to be connected thereto such as an oxygen supply tube, a cooling water feed tube and a cooling water return tube. The brackets are constructed such that they may be shifted laterally in respect to each other under the control of a fluid pressure operated [54] BLOW L ANCE ASSEMBLY FOR piston and cylinder combination. The auxiliary tubes and the METALLURGICAL FURNACES mam blow lance tube include portions extending in a substan- 0 Claims 2 Drawing Figs tially commonplane, which have flanges which are adapted to interengage with flange portions of the connecting lines for [52] US. Cl 266/34 I these fitti The connecting lines are mounted on one f the [5 1 1 P Cl Czlc 7/ 00 movable bracket portions and may be shifted laterally to cause [50] Field of Search 266/34, engagement f the couplings under a fl id pressure tight seal- 342: 75/60; 248/(C0n5ulted) ing. The auxiliary lines also include clamping elements which are operated by fluid piston and cylinder elements to tightly [56] References cued clamp the couplings together in their sealed arrangement and UNITED STATES PATENTS to provide for an instantaneous connection of the auxiliary 3,013,788 12/ 1961 Hajek et a] 266/34 tubes to the main blow lance tube or to permit the immediate 3,025,047 3/1962 Reinfeld et al. 266/34 connection thereof. The blow lance tube is mounted on sup- 3,170,977 2/ 1965 Obenchain 266/34 porting elements on its bracket in a manner such that it may 3,412,989 1 l/ 1968 Penn 266/34 be easily removed therefrom.

l 17 4 2 r o a 4, y l l l 1 o I 5G I 0 O l 5 i a 117 m 27 l l l I L 5 l Ta'm I r 6 2,1 I J 2 8 PATENYED JAN] 9 1971 sum 1 OF 2 Q J a H m 1 .0 O o. o W W r. lili 1 INVENTORS Heinrich SKRZIPCZYK ByGu'nther SZALEK ww ji their ATTORNEYS PATENTEnJAmm I 35551501 snmaorz -INVENTORS Heinrich SKRZIPCZYK Gunther SZALEK their ATTORNEYS BLOW LANCE ASSEMBLY FOR METALLURGICAL FURNACES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to the construction of metallurgical plant accessory devices, and in particular, to a new and useful blow lance assembly for metallurgical furnaces, particularly for steel mill converters which includes a blow lance tube-mounting bracket having a movable bracket portion for mounting a plurality of auxiliary tubes in a position such that they may be rapidly connected or disconnected from the lance tube.

ln metallurgical process which operate according to the ox ygen-blowing method, two lances must always be used. Any lance, which becomes defective during the blowing process, must be replaced within the blowing interval of the other lance. An interruption of the operation of the blow lance as sembly may be caused due to the high thermal stresses to which all parts of the blow lance assembly is subjected. ln practice it can happen that a noule will bum out or that a shell becomes loosened at a point which is in contact with the slag parts. Blow lances must also be exchanged for cleaning because major deposits of slag particles are formed during use and these can grow to a weight of several tons. As a rule, blow lances are freed of such deposits about once or twice a day.

The size of the charge to the converter governs the necessary blowing time for the charge. Blow intervals of 20 minutes are provided after the end of the respective operations. in this down time of 20 minutes, it is difficult to accomplish all of the necessary work whether it be detachment, cleaning or repair of any of the connections for the blow lance, such as the cooling water and oxygen connections. Efforts to accelerate the charging process have been made. For example, the blow tubes have been provided with machined connections for separating the tube from the auxiliary connecting conduits. The blow lance with its different concentrically arranged aux iliary tubes for the supply and return of cooling water and for primary secondary oxygen blowing protrude from the lance shaft and must be introduced into the upper part of the machined connections. Usually the process of effecting the introduction into the corresponding receivingbores of two concentrically arranged tubes can be accomplished only with difficulty. It is completely impossible to introduce three tubes into corresponding packing seat so that the required packing is achieved when the known machined connections are employed. In addition, the packing seats are arranged inside the machined connections and are therefore not accessible or controlable. It is therefore difficult to watch the packings which is a most critical point of the connection and this will lead to subsequent down time due to a failure of such connecting points.

A further problem in respect to the blow lance connections is the different expansion of the various telescopic tubes of the assembly. It is absolutely necessary 'to avoid unduly great stresses in the walls of the individual tubes for the blowing gas and the coolant in order to provide a sufficient security for the flow of the blowing gas and the coolant under elevated pressures. An essential part of the blow lance assembly is, therefore, a completely reliable seal connection between all of the auxiliary tubes with the main blow lance tube. The known sealing structures require great packing forces and a connection must be maintained by means of hand levers. As an exam ple of a flange packing which is employed in practice, a screw may require several tons of tension and a great number must be distributed over the circumference in order to achieve the necessary total packing forces, for example, up to 30 tons, or more. Naturally, such tensions cannot be produced by hand levers. The known solutions are therefore inadequate and cannot meet the requirements for blow lance assemblies.

in accordance with the present invention the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by providing a blow lance assembly in which a main blow lance tube is removably mounted in one bracket portion and the auxiliary tubings, including the oxygen supply and the cooling supply and return, are mounted on a bracket portion which is movable in respect to the first bracket portion. The main blow lance tube includes a lateral extension for each of the auxiliary tubes and the extension terminates in a flange sealing face which may be mated with a similar sealing face of an associated auxiliary connecting line mounted on the other bracket and extending in the same plane as the associated connection therefore on the main blow lance tube bracket. The brackets may be pulled together under force of a fluid pressure cylinder which is mounted adjacent the bracket portions in order to provide a sealing pressure on each of the packings or seals formed at the juncture of the blow lance connections with that of the auxiliary connections. The individual auxiliary connections are also provided with fluid pressure operated levers which are adapted to engage around the clamping flanges and to hold them tightly in position or to easily release the flanges to permit removal of the auxiliary connections from the blow lance tube as desired. The construction provides a rapid exchangeability feature and considerably improved packing arrangement with excellent sealing which may be accomplished by a manipulation of an automatically operated fluid control. Both the blow lance tube and the auxiliary tubular connections are mounted on fixed bracket parts, the parts being movable relatively to provide the necessary packing sealing force. By mounting the parts in this manner a rapid attachment or detachment of the packing surfaces may be carried out. A special advantage is the simultaneous detachment of all of the connections at one time by the shifting of the bracket parts relative to each other. The force with which the bracket parts are pressed toward each other is equivalent to the packing force so that additional packing means are not necessary in most instances blow lance use. An even greater packing effect can be achieved, however, in accordance with a preferred arrangement of the invention by providing additional flange packings which are held together by automatically operated clamping jaws. The number of pairs of such clamping jaws which operate on flanges of the two connected parts will depend on the size of the required packing force. The packing force itself, is advantageously produced by fluid pressure or may be produced mechanically or electrically as desired.

A particularly simple arrangement for the clamping jaws for each of the seals is an arrangement of two armed levers which operate on respective clamping jaw elements arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the flanges of the parts being interconnected. The clamping arm levers may be shifted to disengage the flange parts to permit their rapid release if desired. A very important feature of the whole construction is that it provides a great amount of safety of operation. The sealing parts may be loaded by clamping jaws and also by a fluid pressure force or mechanical force which operates independently of the clamping jaws. Regardless whether the force is produced by hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical means, the operation can be continued for at least a temporary period even if one of the drives for these elements fail.

The blow lance tube is advantageously held in a bearing on one of the bracket parts which is open on one side but which may be locked by means of pivotal levers which are moved into a locking position by an automatic control. The construction ensures a rigid connection of the blow lance with the bracket part but permits the rapid exchange of the lance since the lance can be extended horizontally in its vertical position. Lifting movements where the lugs of the lance shaft might possibly interfere with the mounting bracket or bearing are not required. On the other hand, the mounting of the lance on the bracket ensures that the lance will not move and adversely influence the connecting joint between the auxiliary tubes of the system. The lance is advantageously held in a semicircular bearing and subjected to the pressure of two roller bearing contacts produced by pivotal lever members so that it has a 3 point support. The lever members are connected to fluid pressure operated cylinders which provide the necessary closing and opening forces. The system is such that all of the levers may be operated at the same time and rapidly.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a blow lance assembly which includes first and second mounting brackets which are movable relatively toward and away from each other and a main blow lance tube having extending tubular portions each of which terminatein a flange which may be aligned with a similar flange of corresponding auxiliary piping connections carried onrthe other bracket portion, the bracket portions being movable relatively to provide for the interengagement of the flange portions of the blow lance tube and the auxiliary connecting conduits.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket for use in mounting a blow lance tube and a plurality of auxiliary connecting tubes which includes a first bracket portion having a blow lance tube bearing having an interior bearing surface and an opening laterally to permit lateral movement of a blow lance tube and including locking means movable over the open portion to hold the blow lance tube in position, and a second bracket portion for connecting piping which is displaceable relative to the first bracket portion to interengage the piping with the connecting tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blow lance assembly and a mounting bracket for a blow lance and a plurality of auxiliary tubular connections for the blow lance which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture. I

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims artnexed to and forming a part'of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I Referring to the drawing in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a blow lancesystem which includes a blow lance tube 1 which is mounted relatively rigidly in a first bracket portion or first bracket part 2 of a bracket assembly generally designated 50. The blow lance tube 1. carries three separate tubular branch connections or auxiliary tubes 3, 4, and which extend laterally outwardly from the main portion of the tube 1 and terminate in sealing flanges 16. The upper tube 3 is provided for the oxygen supply and the lower tube 4 and 5 are provided for the feed and the return of the cooling water. i

In accordance with the invention the bracket assembly 50 includes a second bracket part 8"which is telescopic within a guide 9 carried by the first bracket part 2. For this purpose the second bracket part 8 includes wheels 11 which are guided in a trackway of the guide 9. Relative displacement of the first and second bracket parts 2 and 8 is carried out under the control of a fluid cylinder and piston drive'generally designated 12. The drive includes a fluid cylinder 12a which is connected to the guide 9 which in the embodiment illustrated is mounted on the first bracket part 2. A piston slidably in the cylinder 12a is provided with a piston rod portion 12b which is pivoted to the second bracket part 8.

The second bracket part 8 is provided with a wall portion 8a for rigidly mounting auxiliary conduits or connecting tubes comprising an oxygen supply conduit 3a, a cooling water feed conduit 4a and a cooling water return conduit 5a. Each of these conduits carry flanges 27 which rests on the wall 8a. Particular operating circumstances will govern whether the conduits 3a, 4a and 5a may be rotatable or held stationary on the wall 8a. Each conduit 3a, 4a, and 5a carries a sealing flange 16 which is adapted to engage with the corresponding sealing flange 16 carried by the extensions 3, 4 and 5 of the lance tube 1.

The piston drive 12 may be operated to press the sealing flanges 16 and 16 together for each of the sealing joints 13, 14 and 15 and this may be designed to provide the necessary packing force. An additional sealing force or safety coupling is provided by clamping jaws or levers 17 which are pivotally mounted on brackets at respective diametric opposite'location on each of the auxiliary pipes 3a, 4a, and 5a. Each lever includes a hook-shaped end 18 which engages around the flange 16 of the associated connecting pipe 3, 4, and 5 of the lance tube 1. The complete clamping mechanism includes fluid cylinder controls 21 associated with each lever 17 and pivotally mounted at respective opposite ends of projections 23 and 23. The piston drive 21 is connected at its other end to the arm portion 22 of the lever 17 and a piston (not shown) may be moved therein for shifting the lever 17 to engage or disengage the hook-shaped end 18 around the flange 16. A projection 24 on each of the tubes 3a, 4a,and 5a provides an abutment 25 supporting spring elements 26 which are arranged between the lever arm 22 and the abutment 2S and provide a biasing sealing force urging the maintenance of the seals after the levers have been engaged around the flanges 16.

All of the packing assemblies 13, 14 and 15 are equipped with the necessary interengag'eable sealing parts and packings. When it is desired to detach the seals, all of the piston drives 21 are actuated to shift the clamping levers l7 correspondingly, so that they will disengage the packing flanges 16.

Rigid connections for the tubular elements 3a, 4a, and 50 at the flanges 27 to the wall 8a of the bracket second part 8 have the advantage that the connecting conduits or hoses (not shown) whose weight is often considerable can be connected free of tensile stress .and free of any mechanical action because a great sag of these parts is absolutely necessary for the ascending and descending movement of the bracket parts 2 and 8.

The further feature of the inventive construction is the mounting of the lance'tube 1 on the first bracket portion 2.

For this purpose there is provided a support of generally shaped configuration which extends in a horizontal direction outwardly from a side face 52 of the firstbracket portion 2. The support defines a semiannular bearing 28 which bears against the lance tube 1 when'th'e latter'is positioned therein. The lance tube 1 is held in the bearing 28 by locking means which comprises lever members 30, 30 which are pivoted to respective leg portions 7a and 7b of the support 7 on pivot pins 31. Each lever 30 carries a roller 29 which is adapted to engage the periphery of the lance tube 1 and to press it inwardly toward the face 52 to hold the tube against the bearing surface 28. The levers 30 are moved under the control of hydraulic drives 33 which includes acylinder 33a pivoted at 34 to the first bracket portion 2 and a piston rod which is movable by a piston (not shown) located within the cylinder 33a to shift the lever 30 as desired to hold or release the tube 1.

If the blow lance tube 1 is to be exchanged, it is only neces sary to detach the flange packings l6 and 16' by actuating the various control cylinders- 21. Thereafter, the rollers 29 are shifted out of position by actuating the levers 30 through their fluid drive motors 33. This is done after the lance is suspended by a transportation crane or similar lifting means.

We claim: I v

1. A blow lance assembly for metallurgical furnaces particu. larly for steel mill converters comprising a first bracket portion, means on said first bracket portion for holding a blow lance tube in position thereon, a second bracket portion mounted for movement relative to said first bracket portion, said blow lance tube having a plurality of auxiliary tubular parts extending in a direction toward said second bracket portion, said second bracket portion, having a plurality of corresponding auxiliary conduit connections mounted thereon and extending in a direction toward said first bracket portion,

and means for shifting said first and second bracket portions to engage the auxiliary tubular parts of said lance tube with said auxiliary conduit connections on said second bracket portion.

2. A blow lance construction, according to claim 1, wherein each of the auxiliary tubular parts carried by said blow lance tube and said auxiliary conduit connections carried by said second bracket portion terminate in sealing flanges, said means for shifting said bracket portions acting to apply a sealing pressure between said sealing flanges.

3. A blow lance construction, according to claim 2, including clamping means for clamping said sealing flanges together.

4. A blow lance assembly, according to claim 3, wherein said clamping means comprises a pivotal lever member carried on each of said auxiliary conduit connections and adapted to engage around the sealing flange of corresponding ones of said tubular parts, and a fluid cylinder and piston combination connected to said lever member to shift said lever member to engage and disengage said sealing flanges.

5. A blow lance assembly, according to claim I, wherein each of said tubular parts of said blow lance tube terminates in a sealing flange, each of the auxiliary conduit connections carried on said second bracket portion having a sealing flange which is engageable in abutting contact with the corresponding sealing flange of said tubular parts of said blow lance tube, a clamping lever pivotally mounted adjacent said sealing flange of each of said auxiliary conduit connections and adapted to engage around the corresponding sealing flange of said tubular parts to hold the sealing flanges together, and spring means for holding said clamping lever in an engaged position urging the sealing flanges together.

6. A blow lance assembly, according to claim 1, wherein said means for holding a blow lance tube on said first bracket portion includes a bearing member having a lateral opening,

and locking means engageable around the periphery of said tube for locking said tube in said bearing member.

7. An assembly, according to claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises at least one pivotal lever member mounted on said first bearing bracket-portion and means connected to said lever member to shift said lever member to a position in which it urges said lance member to engage in said bearing member and to an open position in which it permits release of said lance tube from said bearing member.

8. A blow lance, according to claim 7, wherein said lever member carries a roller which is adapted to engage the surface of said lance tube.

9. A bracket assembly for mounting a lance tube in association with the plurality of auxiliary conduits comprising a first bracket portion and a second bracket portion, guide means for guiding said first and second bracket portions to permit relative movement therebetween, means defined on said first bracket portion for holding a blow lance tube with a plurality of conduit tubes, means for mounting a plurality of auxiliary conduit tubes on second bracket portion, and means connected between said first and second bracket portions for shifting said bracket portions relatively for effecting sealing engagement of corresponding ones of the conduit tubes on said second bracket portion with the conduit tubes on said first bracket portions.

10. A bracket, according to claim 9, wherein said first bracket portion includes a support member of substantially U- shaped configuration having an opening side for receiving a lance tube therein, and at least one locking lever pivotally mounted on said first bracket portion and being shiftable to a position to be positioned to block the opened end of said support member for holding a lance tube within said support member. 

1. A blow lance assembly for metallurgical furnaces particularly for steel mill converters comprising a first bracket portion, means on said first bracket portion for holding a blow lance tube in position thereon, a second bracket portion mounted for movement relative to said first bracket portion, said blow lance tube having a plurality of auxiliary tubular parts extending in a direction toward said second bracket portion, said second bracket portion having a plurality of corresponding auxiliary conduit connections mounted thereon and extending in a direction toward said first bracket portion, and means for shifting said first and second bracket portions to engage the auxiliary tubular parts of said lance tube with said auxiliary conduit connections on said second bracket portion.
 2. A blow lance construction, according to claim 1, wherein each of the auxiliary tubular parts carried by said blow lance tube and said auxiliary conduit connections carried by said second bracket portion terminate in sealing flanges, said means for shifting said bracket portions acting to apply a sealing pressure between said sealing flanges.
 3. A blow lance construction, according to claim 2, including clamping means for clamping said sealing flanges together.
 4. A blow lance assembly, according to claim 3, wherein said clamping means comprises a pivotal lever member carried on each of said auxiliary conduit connections and adapted to engage around the sealing flange of corresponding ones of said tubulaR parts, and a fluid cylinder and piston combination connected to said lever member to shift said lever member to engage and disengage said sealing flanges.
 5. A blow lance assembly, according to claim 1, wherein each of said tubular parts of said blow lance tube terminates in a sealing flange, each of the auxiliary conduit connections carried on said second bracket portion having a sealing flange which is engageable in abutting contact with the corresponding sealing flange of said tubular parts of said blow lance tube, a clamping lever pivotally mounted adjacent said sealing flange of each of said auxiliary conduit connections and adapted to engage around the corresponding sealing flange of said tubular parts to hold the sealing flanges together, and spring means for holding said clamping lever in an engaged position urging the sealing flanges together.
 6. A blow lance assembly, according to claim 1, wherein said means for holding a blow lance tube on said first bracket portion includes a bearing member having a lateral opening, and locking means engageable around the periphery of said tube for locking said tube in said bearing member.
 7. An assembly, according to claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises at least one pivotal lever member mounted on said first bearing bracket portion and means connected to said lever member to shift said lever member to a position in which it urges said lance member to engage in said bearing member and to an open position in which it permits release of said lance tube from said bearing member.
 8. A blow lance, according to claim 7, wherein said lever member carries a roller which is adapted to engage the surface of said lance tube.
 9. A bracket assembly for mounting a lance tube in association with the plurality of auxiliary conduits comprising a first bracket portion and a second bracket portion, guide means for guiding said first and second bracket portions to permit relative movement therebetween, means defined on said first bracket portion for holding a blow lance tube with a plurality of conduit tubes, means for mounting a plurality of auxiliary conduit tubes on second bracket portion, and means connected between said first and second bracket portions for shifting said bracket portions relatively for effecting sealing engagement of corresponding ones of the conduit tubes on said second bracket portion with the conduit tubes on said first bracket portions.
 10. A bracket, according to claim 9, wherein said first bracket portion includes a support member of substantially U-shaped configuration having an opening side for receiving a lance tube therein, and at least one locking lever pivotally mounted on said first bracket portion and being shiftable to a position to be positioned to block the opened end of said support member for holding a lance tube within said support member. 